That you won’t keep dropping pounds while taking these drugs might be unwelcome news if you’re taking or considering them to help you lose a substantial amount of weight. However, doctors say they can still offer health benefits, including helping you slim down overall.

Here, we break down why you’ll hit a weight-loss plateau on these medications, whether it makes sense to still take these drugs, and what to do if you do hit a plateau while taking them.

Plateaus Can Happen, Regardless of Weight Loss Method

These weight loss plateaus can happen, regardless of how you’re trying to lose weight—from dieting to weight loss medications to bariatric surgery, at some point, your body will eventually not lose weight as quickly as it did in the beginning.

This is because the body doesn’t necessarily want to lose weight—it wants to hold on to the extra weight to protect itself from starvation.

According to Lampe Dominguez, the weight loss process actually increases your appetite and forces you to use less energy (i.e., burn fewer calories)—this is in an attempt to regain any lost body weight or prevent additional weight loss.

Weight Loss Plateaus While on Semaglutide

With medications like Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide), people are still likely to hit weight loss plateaus.

Semaglutide aids in weight loss by decreasing appetite, which it does by delaying the emptying of the stomach. This results in eating less—ultimately kickstarting weight loss.

In one clinical trial, people taking semaglutide hit weight loss plateaus about 60 weeks after starting the medication. There’s no evidence, however, that people will regain weight while on the medication.

“Our long-term data is limited at this point,” said Lampe Dominguez. “There’s no data showing that people regained when they stayed on the medication.” However, another study found that people who stopped taking it gained back about two-thirds of the weight they had lost.

These drugs can still benefit you by reducing appetite, regulating blood sugar, and helping you feel fuller for longer. “What these drugs are doing is working in the brain to change drivers that make it very difficult for people to adhere to lifestyle interventions like diet,” said Grunvald.

Being on them, he explained, can give you an opportunity that you wouldn’t have otherwise had to create healthier habits. You may be more willing to eat a more nutritious diet, for example, or exercise more.

“It really enables a healthy lifestyle,” said Grunvald. “I don’t like to talk about these drugs as weight loss drugs. I like to talk about these drugs as treating obesity.”

You Stopped Losing Weight on Ozempic—Now What?

If you hit a weight loss plateau on semaglutide, the medication will likely still allow you to maintain your new weight—according to Lampe Dominguez, no data show that people who continued taking the drugs post-plateau regained the weight they had lost.

One option would be to stop taking the medication, but Lampe Dominguez doesn’t advise it because evidence shows patients will likely regain any weight loss. 

“If you go off it, you’re going to have cravings, same as before,” said Grunvald. 

It’s also possible that you can still lose weight even after you notice your weight has been at a standstill.

“You may need optimization of medications and lifestyle interventions,” said Jaisinghani. “Make sure you are building sustainable habits to give yourself the best chance of succeeding in losing weight and maintaining your weight.” 

She explained that these habits may include making dietary changes (including ensuring adequate protein), increasing exercise, adding resistance training, or improving sleep quality.